New Construction to be Allowed in Beit El – Report

Netanyahu, Barak will reportedly give permission for new construction but go ahead with Ulpana destruction.

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Gil Ronen, 22/05/12 10:29

Givat HaUlpana

Israel news photo: Flash 90

According to latest reports, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak are working out a solution to the showdown over the Givat HaUlpana neighborhood in Beit El, which the High Court ruled must be demolished. They have held several meetings on the subject.

The proposed solution would involve the granting of permits for new construction in Beit El, after years in which no such construction was allowed. Givat HaUlpana will be torn down, however.

According to Channel 10, Netanyahu met the head of the Beit El Local Authority in the course of the Yom Yerushalayim event at Merkaz HaRav yeshiva, and told him "Things will work out fine."

Netanyahu is meeting Tuesday with MKs Yaakov Katz and Uri Ariel (National Union). He is expected to ask them to withdraw the "Legalization Bill" from the Knesset's agenda for Wednesday. The bill would mandate solving cases in which homes were built on private Arab land through compensation rather than destruction.